TfL Enforcement Officers and Masks on Public Transport (1)

Keith Prince: In response to Question 2020/2527, you mentioned the role of “TfL enforcement officers”, who are working together to educate passengers and enforce the requirement if necessary. How many TfL enforcement officers are there?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) currently employs nearly 400 uniformed operations officers in its Compliance, Policing, Operations and Security Directorate. These officers are responsible for a range of enforcement and compliance activities across the TfL network, which now includes face covering engagement and enforcement activity.
These officers work alongside revenue and enforcement teams across the Underground and rail and tram networks, as well as with the British Transport Police (BTP) and Metropolitan Police Service Roads and Transport Policing Command.
Levels of compliance and enforcement activity are being further increased with the rollout of new Transport Support and Enforcement Officers.

StreetSpace and mobility

Jennette Arnold: Constituents with limited mobility have raised concerns about the impact of StreetSpace schemes on their daily lives. How does StreetSpace help those who cannot walk, cycle or use public transport to stay mobile?

The Mayor: As lockdown lifts and demand for travel increases, Transport for London needs to run public transport at much lower levels of capacity than pre-coronavirus in order to continue to provide space for social distancing. Travel by car is likely to become a more attractive option for some, but a car-based recovery has significant risks to safety; public health; economic recovery and the environment for all Londoners regardless of whether they walk, cycle or use public transport. Therefore, my Streetspace plan seeks to provide appealing alternatives to car use for those who can walk or cycle.
Reducing levels of motor traffic will help ensure essential journeys can take place, including those undertaken by people who cannot walk, cycle or use public transport. Please also see my response to Mayor’s Question 2020/2598.

Stag Brewery development

Caroline Pidgeon: What assurances can you give local residents that in considering the revised planning application for this development that full consideration is being given to the traffic implications of the long-term closure of Hammersmith Bridge?

The Mayor: I can assure you and local residents that due consideration is being given to these issues. Transport for London (TfL) has been closely monitoring the impact of the bridge closure; the results indicate that traffic flows at Chalkers Corner have returned to pre-bridge closure levels. TfL and GLA officers are currently assessing the application and any traffic implications of the proposed development. Given that this is a current planning application, that I will be considering in due course, I am unable to comment further at this stage.

Representation of Bus Drivers at Quarterly Bus Operator Safety Meeting

Keith Prince: Section 2.1 of TfL’s “Response to UCL Initial Assessment of London Bus Driver Mortality from COVID-19 Report” mentions a quarterly safety meeting between TfL Bus Operations Senior Management and Bus Operators. Will you ensure that representatives of London Bus Drivers, TfL’s Safety Sustainability and Human Resources Panel and the London Assembly Transport Committee will be allowed to attend these meetings as observers?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) provides regular updates to its Safety, Sustainability and Human Resources panel, including on both bus safety and its overall response to the coronavirus pandemic. TfL also regularly appears in front of the London Assembly Transport Committee, while Tripartite meetings provide an opportunity for unions to raise and discuss safety issues. TfL also publishes a wide range of bus safety data, and the outcome of the next phase of the Institute of Health Equity’s independent study into the tragic deaths of London bus drivers from Covid-19 will also be published once it has been completed.

Adaptations to StreetSpace

Jennette Arnold: What changes are likely to be made to the StreetSpace scheme in order to make it more accessible for all Londoners?

The Mayor: By providing appealing alternatives to car use for those who can walk or cycle, my Streetspace for London Plan is seeking to prevent a damaging and unsustainable car-based recovery while maintaining accessibility while ensuring road space can be used by public transport and for other essential journeys, including those by people who need to use a car.
Care has been taken to ensure that access to businesses and services is maintained as much as possible and consideration is given to all road users, including those with protected characteristics such as wheelchair users. During the development of these schemes, regard has been given to the impacts on those with protected characteristics through clear design guidance for social distancing and cycling schemes, supported by Equality Impact Assessments undertaken at the individual scheme level.
Over the coming months, Transport for London (TfL) has committed to extensive monitoring and engagement on Streetspace, including engaging with stakeholders who represent older and disabled Londoners. Feedback will be fed into future decisions on schemes, including decisions around permanency. If any schemes have disproportionately affected accessibility, TfL will seek mitigations wherever possible.

Mitigations for StreetSpace

Jennette Arnold: How were mitigations put in place for those unable to walk, cycle or use public transport to ensure that StreetSpace did not leave them disconnected from their local communities?

The Mayor: Please see my response to Mayor's Question 2020/2956 and Mayor's Question 2020/2958.

Cost of the Congestion Charge changes

Shaun Bailey: What is the estimated cost to TfL of implementing the temporary changes to the Congestion Charge?

The Mayor: Transport for London expects the final cost of implementing the temporary changes to the Congestion Charge to be in the region of £3.5 million to £4 million. This includes costs for highways signage, marketing and communicating the changes, altering its web and computer systems and preparing its customer service teams.

Tube Noise [4]

Andrew Dismore: All known locations of severe tube noise in my constituency, Finchley Central, Golders Green, Kentish Town, Mornington Crescent and Warren Street have reported an increase in tube noise over the last few months. What is the reason for this in each location?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) carried out rail grinding at Finchley Central in June 2020. As this is a tight curve, train wheels are slowly wearing the rail back into a comfortable equilibrium, which is causing the noise. This is normal and is expected to reduce in time through the passage of trains. TfL is monitoring the bedding-in progress.
TfL is aware of existing concerns at Golders Green and Kentish Town, and is managing these through rail grinding.
At Mornington Crescent, noise measurements were taken recently, and TfL is currently reviewing the results to identify the most appropriate solution. I have asked TfL to update you once this has been completed.
At Warren Street, TfL has undertaken a number of interventions, including the installation of track fasteners and flat-bottom rail conversion works, which have successfully reduced noise levels. When rail grinding is next carried out on the Victoria line, TfL will assess the levels of corrugation in this area, to determine whether it would benefit from rail grinding.
TfL continues to regularly monitor all known hotspot locations, to respond with the most appropriate and practicable mitigations.

Devolution of Great Northern Services to TfL

Joanne McCartney: Further to my most recent questions in January this year can you give me an update on TfL’s progress in persuading the Department of Transport to devolve Great Northern rail services out of Moorgate?

The Mayor: Following submission of a Strategic Outline Business Case for the transfer last year, the Department for Transport has agreed to assess the case for the devolution of the Great Northern services further. Transport for London is currently working with the Department for Transport to develop the next stage of the assessment, which will entail the completion of an Outline Business Case. This will build on the work done to date, ensuring that all options for the future delivery of the service are considered in the context of recent changes brought about by the coronavirus pandemic.
Progress with these discussions has been slower than I would have wished, but this has been an unavoidable consequence of the pandemic. The Department for Transport has needed to execute many short term changes to its management of rail operators, including the implementation of Emergency Measures Agreements and their subsequent extension.

Disabled persons Freedom Pass eligibility

Caroline Russell: Are you working with London Councils to expand the Freedom Pass eligibility criteria to include those with hidden disabilities such as autism?

The Mayor: The eligibility criteria for the scheme are set out in chapter VIII of the GLA Act 1999. They are supplemented by Department for Transport guidance on assessing eligibility for concessionary travel. There is currently no work being undertaken to expand these criteria as they are set out in statute and guidance made elsewhere. Nevertheless, some people with hidden disabilities such as autism may already qualify for the scheme. As there are many types of disabilities, eligibility is determined by the London boroughs on a case-by-case basis against existing criteria.

River Services under Covid-19

Alison Moore: What plans, if any, do you have to reduce the cost of River Services in order to encourage people to use it as an alternative to the tube or rail?

The Mayor: I fully support the usage of the river for passenger transport. I do not have the jurisdiction to set fares for passenger boat services on the Thames, which are set by the operators themselves.
We have invested significant time and resource into promoting the river, along with the Port of London Authority and other partners, and will continue to ensure all Transport for London’s central London piers are made available for service all year round.

Route 46

Murad Qureshi: There have been concerns raised about the new single decker buses for Route 46 in local papers along its route even though the buses are bright and shiny, with a bulbous top containing the fuel cells and plenty of space inside. Yet they appear to rattle and squeak a lot for passengers who think due to poor suspension. Can you please give us an update on any issues with the bus and how you are dealing with them?

The Mayor: The operator has not found any significant maintenance issues with these buses. It did discover front suspension tower brushes wearing out more quickly than expected on one vehicle and replaced these in August. If it comes across anything similar on the other all-electric BYD buses, it will carry out similar work. One benefit of battery-powered buses is that they are much cleaner and quieter than those with large diesel engines, and this can make road noise and natural movement in the suspension and bodywork more noticeable.

Streetspace (5)

Susan Hall: Please provide a list of all changes under the Streetspace Programme, including details of cost, precise location and when the work was completed.

The Mayor: My Streetspace for London programme is supported by a £55m fund from the Department for Transport (DfT) (£45m for borough led projects and £10m for TfL led projects). It is being jointly delivered by Transport for London (TfL) and the 33 London boroughs. A list of the schemes delivered so far by TfL, including the location and when the work was completed, is available on the TfL website: https://consultations.tfl.gov.uk/general/streetspace/. In addition, TfL has delivered over 2,000 signal timing changes across London, leading to over 200 hours of additional green man crossing time for pedestrians each day.
The programme is being delivered at pace across the 33 London boroughs and therefore information about completions is equally dynamic. As of 10 September 2020, over 250 borough-led schemes had been delivered, including 55 Low Traffic Neighbourhoods, 127 school streets, 133 social distancing schemes and 15 strategic cycling schemes.

Tube Noise [1]

Andrew Dismore: TfL have informed me that they will not be proceeding with the installation of Delkor track fastenings, having trialled its use recently. Will you publish the report and results of the trial?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) is still proceeding with the use of Delkor track fastening products where viable. TfL continues to investigate the feasibility of Delkor and other similar products in various locations across the Tube network, in order to identify the best practicable solution within its engineering and financial constraints.
In some locations, a particular Delkor product has been found unsuitable for engineering reasons. Where sleepers are spaced around one metre apart, on the Victoria line for example, adding this variant of Delkor baseplate would lead to flex in the rail, which causes corrugation. Given this, Delkor would not deal with the corrugation, which is the root cause of the residential Tube noise in this area. It could also lead to increased in-carriage noise.
The trial between Baker Street and St John’s Wood is still ongoing and installation is underway, expected to be completed in spring 2021. TfL needs to collect data for six months after installation has been completed in order to assess the longer-term effects of the product. I have asked TfL to keep you updated on the trial’s progress, and to share preliminary results as soon as feasible.

Tube Noise [3]

Andrew Dismore: Given the decision not to proceed with Delkor track fastenings, what further action are you taking to reduce tube noise?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) and I take the issue of Tube noise very seriously. TfL continues to invest significant resource to investigate and mitigate the impact across the network over the last four years.
TfL’s targeted methods to try and reduce noise levels include its ongoing rail grinding programme, the application of additional lubrication, the installation of new rail and removal of redundant rail joints, where feasible and appropriate.
TfL is also working with suppliers to innovate and develop new technology to reduce noise levels across the network. Please see my response to Mayor’s Question 2020/3115 on Delkor track fastening products.

Tube Noise [2]

Andrew Dismore: Did the Delkor track fastenings installation reduce tube noise? Did it have other impacts elsewhere, such as increased in-carriage noise?

The Mayor: Please see my response to Mayor’s Question 2020/3115.